During the October 4–6 Investing in America's Workforce conference in Austin, Texas, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic announced the launch of the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity (CWEO). The center highlights employment and labor market issues faced by individuals from low- and moderate-income backgrounds that affect economic opportunity, defined in part by equality of opportunity. The degree to which people and businesses engage in the labor market drives outcomes such as socioeconomic mobility, stability, resilience, and competitiveness.
Although the center is housed within the research department at the Atlanta Fed, it will act as a resource to bridge workforce development research and practice across the entire Federal Reserve System. The center focuses on work and events related to the labor market, employment opportunities, and workforce development from all 12 Banks and the Board of Governors. Over the coming months, CWEO will post content in our Workforce Currents section such as articles, videos, and podcasts that synthesize recent research. The center showcases interactive data tools from across the Fed System that display up-to-date regional economic trends, including the Chicago Fed's Peer City Identification Tool, the Atlanta Fed's Wage Growth Tracker, and CWEO's own Opportunity Occupations Monitor. The monitor, created by Atlanta Fed researchers, displays low- and middle-skill jobs across metro areas that pay at least the national median salary and don't require a bachelor's degree.
The Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity is part of the Atlanta Fed's Labor Market Initiative, which also includes the Center for Human Capital Studies. For more information about the center, or if you have questions about how it can support your work, please contact its director Stuart Andreason, research analyst II Ashley Bozarth, or Federal Reserve System affiliate contributors.